Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-10-11
A FATHERS SHOT.
nv A T. woRpES.
Albany rrsninr Iournal.l

Of the rebellion wI,hou, doub, was AZ
tended by the mos, impOr,sn, results
and va. made eon.pieuou. by I. many
romantic features - any Of the larger
eomb.,.. The battle Of Mil Springs. or
Logon. Crossroads. ~ss as decisive IN i's
results =, TO the setting free Of the union
sentiment In Kentucky and Tennessee s
va. D,nsl.on OF Shiloh. Nall sPfins'.
forming the rish, wing Of the 'Plend'd
line Of defense suaytd by the e''lli'n'
Gen. A. 4. Johnston. Was n important
to the general cause =, the better equip
ped and defended Forts Henry and D'n'
sl.on. thoash uii.msnsged by the dintk-
en- and irooups,sn, Cfii,snden to the
sorrow Of the capable aud mueh-mou'ned
Zollieofisr. hi. iaferiOr In command. No
doub, the los. Of Zolliecifsr, who fell IN
,hi. battle. VAS ss great 10 reoil 'Jmp,'
,hiser Ia Tennessee {. ws that OF The
brilliant A. s. John,,oa. Hat ASIDE
from the larger interests een,sred IN the
Nsiioaal oi the Confederate cause. there
were 20 be considered ihs s,rstge com.
pl.e.,ion. Of . hsrieid.l struggle. Al
Mil Springs. Tennss.sArs faced Ten.
ns..esn., Hsn,ueki.ns faced k.n,nekisn'
aud no one Who has participated Ia such
q struggle can forge, the feeling OF ran
cor e,inoed there. Truly. Kentucky va,
for time the dark and bloody grOani.
The battle vi. Tough, on Sunday. Jan.
u.ry 10Th. 1862, aud il i' TO one tragic
scene Of ,h., coates, I would draw the
attention Of the reader. A sesas 90
strange, % marvellous. that ~hsn re.
call h. denoaemeni IL seems lik. u'es
Of q per.oafed fate. | WAS q sabofti.
nate Shser ia Co. A Of the Minns'oa
volunteers. inf.n,ry. aud We broke camp
~ Lebanon. Ken,aeky. on New Years
DAY of'G2. The march ,o-srd Some'.
Get W.. On easy one and tnlivensd With
f,- incident. The mud made travel
lin, heavy, and Thoms.. then biissdisf.
va. /. careful. ms,hodie.l commander,
and train. we're well KEEP, together and
We did no, reach l.ossn's Crossroads ua'
Ill January IL.
No oae then believed ,hs, ihi. li,'le
opening In the for,s, would become bis.
tonic ground where Thomas should b.
come immortal and Zollieofsr die.
Three OF four log houses and one frame
building comprised ell the evidences OF
.s,,Iemsn, in ,isht. 1, Vas good STRAIT
esic poip, only in being a crossroads
where like eoneen,rie rays all the imPor'
tan, road, Of ,hi, 'parssly settled eoan.
Try came together. DowE one road niae
mile. distant VI. the fofiihsd camp.
Mil Springs. Down snoihersish, miles
~., Somerset. q villsgeof some imPo'-
,anee on the Cumberland. Here also
va. the Jsmes,on road snd several by
roads. The condition Of the mad was
such ,h., no mov,men, Of importance
could be commenced sgain', US without,
using some Of these roads. To Be sure
there were. As look back a. !, now.
some evidences Of nssrness to a eonis,i.
woolford's cavalry. body Of Kentucky
horse, va, unusually active. They were
Ion, a~ksrd riders with swinging lsss
covered with mud. and their long. un-
kemp, hair generally IN their eyes. but
wicked .. fighters. and with staying
qualities In q fsh, ss long As their own
legs, which /, saying good deal. Ia
and out Of camp TO Gen. Thomss's head.
quarter. these muddy esn,aurs went. and
with more experience We should have
known ,ha, something Of Importance VAS
imminent With plenty Of time TO look
back now q, fr, causes We realize that
the success Of Thomas may be attributed
70 the fact ,ha, he always knew wha,
hi. enemy was doing. January 18th
wa, a cold, driErly. miserable day. and !
wa. sen, out on the jamestown road with
q detail Of 10 men to guard crossing Of
Fishing Creek. now bank high with the
inces.an, rain. Oar vide,,e WAS behind
large tree, on the bank OF the stream,
and our reserve took up Its quarters Ia
an open tobacco house in the rear. abou.
80 rods. The tobacco shed VAS part OF
the oc,.buildings, connected to the bes,
house near Losan's Crossroads. Ia fact
|, Was the only frame structure In sight.
| desired to allow the men. TO build .
fire on the ground Ia the shed, and 90
wished the permission Of Its owner ~ tie
house. visited him. aad on presenting
my pe,i,ioa he told me to build the fire.
aad there would be no danger ia such =
vet time. Soon the reserve guard had a
roaring FIRE on the ground. and blankets
were spread and pipes lighted. while
eager hands prepared coffee aud bseoa
for supper. As night came down We
heard q step ~ the door. and the old
man OF the house came In. lie WAS the
typical Kentuekian. and s,ill robust.
though he must have been at least 20
years Of age. As recall his picture
after = quarter Of century. isee tall
suaigh, form. white hai'. . wrinklsd
face, with that curious sneering smile up
on |, which comes OF years Of domination
and defiance. and yet savois OF courtesy.
"Uooi evenia'. gentlemen. with =
long holding Of the accen, on the msa.
"Good evening"" oil responded. sai
one Of the boys pushed over bis ka.p-
ssek for the old man 10 sii on.
"Righ, smart o rain we slIs i' gsiiia'
fur the time o year" and he smiled
eour,eously around the circle.
One Of the men offered him bag ol
sa,lefs tobacco and pipe. aud tn, old
} man said sen,sniioasly. "S,ore ,obarksr.
and filed the pipe. AZ he paffid AZ II
dreamily be asked:
"You uns ever heeied Of old Psyiou
Baxter, D,wn along the branch snd
over to Somsse;. and probly clear down
I to Campbell,own, they kuows old PsY'
ton"
/ did not wish to offend. and 50 ! nod
ded my head stiirma,ively.
"Thats my name. I'm old Psyio'
Baxter NV Losan's csossroads;" and h
! ehuckled to himself. The boys becans
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